title: A Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based Method to Specifically Detect Alternaria alternata Apple Pathotype (A. mali), the Causal Agent of Alternaria Blotch of Apple.
abstract: ABSTRACT Alternaria alternata apple pathotype (previously A. mali) causes Alternaria blotch on susceptible apple cultivars through the production of a host-specific toxin, AM-toxin. Identification of some Alternaria species, especially those that produce host-specific toxins, has been extremely difficult due to a high level of variability which extends even to nonpathogenic isolates. We have recently cloned and characterized a gene (AMT) that plays a crucial role in AM-toxin biosynthesis and demonstrated that it is only present in isolates of A. alternata apple pathotype. Using primers designed for the AMT gene, we developed a polymerase chainreaction-based method to specifically detect AM-toxin producing isolates of A. alternata apple pathotype.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kohmoto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Otani
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kodama